Editorial: Abbott and Davis bickering over minutiae

If you’re trying to decide between Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Sen. Wendy Davis for governor, do you really care who uses which sort of campaign-finance accounting method, so long as it’s legal?

Probably not. But if you’ve heard the candidates’ surrogates exchange barbs lately, you’d think this is the most important issue facing Texas.

It isn’t.

Republican Greg Abbott’s campaign criticized Democrat Wendy Davis for “unorthodox accounting” that uses “fuzzy math and Enron-style accounting” to make it seem as if she’s raking in huge political contributions. Her financial filing, for example, includes the estimated $250,000 value of a Willie Nelson free campaign concert as an in-kind donation as well as money from other campaign accounts. Combining the accounts makes it look like Davis is closer to Abbott, who has a sizable fundraising lead.

Such oddities cut both ways. State law requires candidates to report in-kind contributions. These tradeoffs have value and allow candidates to receive services without spending campaign cash. That’s why Abbott’s financial filings include about $350,000 in various in-kind contributions, such as nearly $100,000 for airplanes from beer, energy and banking interests. Davis’ campaign, however, uses several accounts — her campaign for governor, her old Senate campaign account, a joint fundraising operation and Battleground Texas, a Democratic turnout operation whose funds are available to other Democratic candidates. Abbott uses one account to report donations and cash on hand.

This stuff is distracting background noise and offers voters little insight into how each would perform as governor. Nor does it help define competing visions for the future or contrasting public-policy priorities.

Where’s the discussion about the state’s education, transportation, energy and economic development challenges? Shouldn’t voters know how a Gov. Abbott would respond to a court decision ordering increased state funding of public education, a ruling that might well occur on his watch as governor if he wins election? Shouldn’t voters know how a Gov. Davis would pay for the increased investments she’s called for in universal prekindergarten, education and transportation?

Instead voters are treated to grade-school-style taunting on the playground.

Join us in calling on both candidates to quit the debate over process and focus more on the policy — especially as the campaign heats up later this summer. Texas has too many significant challenges to allow insider gamesmanship and finger-pointing to obscure voters’ receiving useful information about how Abbott or Davis would guide the state.

Answer These Questions:

— The Legislature may have to contend with another court order to overhaul the system of financing public schools. What is your idea of a better way to pay for public education in Texas?

— How will you judge whether the state’s new education accountability system is working?

— Even if voters approve an extra $1.2 billion a year in highway spending this fall, that’s a fraction of what TxDOT says is needed. How would you meet the needs of the growing population?

— The current two-year budget restored billions of dollars from previous cuts. If you advocate more spending, how would you pay for it and are there places you would spend less?

— What would you do to prevent another disaster like what happened in West?

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.